JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) - A judge has denied bail to a registered sex offender accused of abducting and killing an 8-year-old Florida girl.
Donald James Smith was charged Saturday with murder and kidnapping in the death of Charish Perriwinkle. Authorities say Smith befriended Charish and her mother while they shopped Friday night.
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office says Smith had offered to buy them snacks, but he walked out of Wal-Mart with Charish instead. The girl's body was found in the woods near a church Saturday morning. Police stopped Smith's van on Interstate 95.
On Sunday, Judge Roberto Arias denied Smith bail. Smith's attorney, Fred Gazaleh, told The Florida Times-Union (http://bit.ly/10dmKxy ) before the hearing that Smith didn't have a chance of getting bail, "not on this charge."
Smith's next court appearance is scheduled for July 16.
